With 21 points remaining up for grabs in its regular season, the Los Angeles Football Club is right where it wants to be after finishing 4-2 winners at Toronto last Saturday.

As the majority of the professional leagues around the world pause for a FIFA international break, LAFC coach Bob Bradley took advantage of a bye week by focusing his team on reinforcing ideas that he calls “important for our football.”

Bradley noted his players’ mentality was “really good” after LAFC’s sixth road win, a record for first-year teams since ties were instituted in 2000 — and a positive indicator of a team’s playoff potential.

The group — second place in the MLS Western Conference (13-7-7, 46 points) — went through several rounds of competitive games at the club’s training center on the campus of Cal State L.A.

On Tuesday, Bradley ran a game with one side attacking three goals, while the other just two. The point was to inform play in the LAFC defensive midfield, which guarded the two-goal side, by controlling space in the middle rather than running sideline to sideline.

“No one in the team would’ve understood why one side was attacking three goals and the other side was attacking two until we explained,” said Bradley, who sees several potential coaches in the LAFC locker room.

Bradley could not work with a full squad, but most of his team remained in Los Angeles during the break.

Two first-team players were called up for international duty — midfielder Andre Horta (U21, Portugal) and defender Dejan Jakovic (senior team, Canada) — along with winger Shaft Brewer Jr. (U.S. U20), currently on loan at Phoenix Rising.

Horta, the 21-year-old designated player, joins No. 2-ranked Portugal for two matches as it attempts to qualify for the 2019 U21 Euros in Italy.

Portugal receives a player coached up by Bradley on his awareness, reaction and footwork.

“If a guy gets here and after two months, three months, four months he plays exactly the same way as when he arrived, then I’m not sure it’s working,” Bradley said. “I think step by step we’re going in a good direction with Andre.”

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The veteran Jakovic, 33, captained Canada to a 1-0 win over New Zealand in March, and the defender has picked up his play for L.A. in recent games, notably stepping on the field for an injured Danilo Silva in Carson.

Silva and attacker Adama Diomande each face hamstring issues, but Bradley said he is optimistic they will return for the stretch run.

With fall approaching, little is likely to happen in the way of additional roster moves.

LAFC can sign players from a small pool of free agents who were without contracts at the close of the MLS window.

This portion of the season is when rosters are locked and teams evaluate which players will be with the club the following year.

Said LAFC’s John Thorrington: “This is the group you go to battle with.”

Notes

LAFC’s match against the New England Revolution on Sept. 15 will be Bob Bradley’s 300th as a coach in the MLS. If Bradley starts midfielder Lee Nguyen, the 31-year-old Texan will make his 200th MLS start and against his longtime club. The Revolution defeated NYCFC 1-0 on Wednesday.

The Houston Dynamo match at Banc of California Stadium has been moved from Thursday, Oct. 18 to Friday, Oct. 12. The switch means LAFC won’t need to play two matches in four days ahead of their Decision Day contest Oct. 28 at Sporting Kansas City.